Amore e desiderio

Back in the day, when a woman reached the age of forty, she cut her hair and started wearing sensible clothing with high-cut necklines. When she reached fifty, she focused on her grandchildren and wore orthopedic shoes. She certainly didn't prance around in revealing swimsuits, wear low-cut evening gowns, and enjoy numerous lovers! Well, when Merle Oberon was fifty-two, she did all those things in the risqué drama Of Love and Desire. What a knockout!

Steve Cochran meets Merle when he gets a new engineering job in Mexico. Her brother Curd Jurgens is his boss and owner of the company, and he's pretty protective over her. Steve tries to stay away from Merle because he thinks she's just an irresponsible flirt, but over time, he goes the way of all the other men who came before him. He becomes completely enamored by her, risking his job and the wrath of Curd.

If you're a Merle Oberon fan, you're going to want to watch this movie. If you're neutral about her, you can probably skip it. Yes, it's naughty and fun at times, but it also has a darker twist that will (hopefully) make audiences feel uncomfortable.

Merle Oberon was a great beauty often tabbed the 8th wonder of the World so striking was La Oberon in person and on film. In a career that started in London in the 30's Oberon worked with Laughton, Wayler, Hopkins, Brando, Olivier in a long and great career. A good actress her lavish lifestyle got more attention than her ability as an actress.

Of Love And Desire is a vanity production produced by Oberon's then fabulously wealthy Mexican husband Bruno Paglai, and many of the settings are in the various Mexican homes ( palaces really) that the Paglai's owned in Mexico. A sight to behold is then 53 year old Merle Oberon in a bikini in a scene with an equally daring Steve Cochran also in a bikini who despite the fact that Mr. Paglai was financing this film was said to be Merle's off camera lover as well. No horror roles for Merle like her peers Joan Crawford, and Bette Davis and Ann Sothern, no way! It was glamor all the way with Merle Oberon looking fantastic in this film.

Although you have to be in the right frame of mind to appreciate it. It is an odd, strange, quirky film but I've seen it at least a dozen times if not more and don't tire of it. Ronald Stein's score is terrific, and there was a soundtrack album for this that was fairly faithful to the film's soundtrack. Of course there is more music in the film, but the soundtrack album is worth buying if you like this score (but it is hard to find). This was Merle Oberon's baby, she was behind the production of it and the homes seen in the film were hers.

The only reason to watch this film is to see the timeless beauty of Merle Oberon and Mexico. The price you pay is sitting through this horrible script and seeing the effects of years of alcohol on Steve Cochran and Curt Jergens.

This movie is bad but unfortunately without fun camp moments. It is obvious that Merle Oberon only made this film because offers were drying up. A shame since Oberon is lovely and probably didn't need the Vaseline on the lens treatment.

The film also reels of the double standard. A sexually compulsive man is no big deal but a woman with the same issue is the basis for an entire movie.

I love these types of movies. Merle Oberon playing a middle aged nymphomaniac. Curt Jurguns is her half brother. I swear there is some underlying incest issues going on. In any case she falls in love with the Steve Cochern character. Brother doesn't like it and sets her up.

What I like about this movie other then the trashy plot is that the principles are all played by age appropriate people. We do not have a bunch of middle aged men chasing after young woman half their age. We have a middle aged John Agar and Steve Cochran playing middle aged Oberons other suitors. And the scenery is breathtaking. This is not Cukor but it is trashy enough to make it so bad it is good. And something good has to be said about a movie that actually has middle aged men lusting after a middle aged woman. How refreshing. Plus I am a big fan of Curt Jurguns.